Edge forming device



July 22, 196 c. R. KRONOFF EDGE FORMING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 30, 1967 v INVENTOR CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTORNEY .Fuly 22, 196 g. R. KRONOFF 3,456,692

EDGE FORMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS l2 FiGH 42 i" v 1 INVENTOR FIG. l2 CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTDRNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 139-118 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An edge forming device for use on needle looms comprising a lop retaining device to retain the weft loops at the weft insertion side during the insertion of weft and having means to vary the length of said loops from the median of the fabric.

This invention relates to an improved needle loom and more particularly to an improved needle loom which produces either straight or decorative edges on elastic fabrics without the use of edge wires.

In the past whenever needle looms were used to weave elastic fabrics it was necessary to provide semi-rigid edge wires at the edge of the fabric in order to provide smooth edges. Such edge wires weave like warp yarns but do not become a permanent part of the fabric because they are stationary and are pulled out as the fabric is taken up. However, these edge wires are continually flexed up and down by the harnesses to the same extent as the warp yarns so that they may weave with the weft. This results in frequent breakage of such wires and down-time for the loom.

When it was desired to produce a decorative fringe on the edge a plurality of such wires were used. For example, three edge wires could be used to produce a scalloped edge. These wires would be raised and lowered in stepped sequence so as to provide edge loops of varying lengths to produce the scalloped edge or fringe on the fabric.

Recently a new type of loom for weaving scalloped edges has been developed and is fully disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,126,920, issued Mar. 31, 1964 to Libby. In this loom the edge wire has been replaced by a finger which catches each edge loop of the weft yarn projected through the shed by the weft needle. This finger is gradually moved in and out to produce a pattern of edge loops of varying lengths, for example, in a scalloped pattern. The finger about which the loop is formed is also moved up and down in synchronism with the loom so that it holds the edge loop only until the weft needle has inserted a complete pick and it is then raised so that when the pick is beat into the fell of the fabric, the edge loop is no longer caught by the finger. The gradual in and out position of the finger is effected by a cam and the contour of the scallop depends upon the contour of the cam that moves the finger in and out. While the Libby loom is capable of producing fabrics with decorative edges, it does so by meansof a rather complicated device. Furthermore, this device is limited in speed since the mechanism for raising the finger must be precisely timed to release the weft loop at exactly the right time. If it is released too early uniformity in edge loop length may be lost and if too late the yarn or finger may be broken by the reed during beat-up.

The present invention deals with a device, which not only serves the function of the previously mentioned edge wires in forming smooth, straight edges, but also can be used to form scalloped or picot edges by means of simple mechanical changes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sta- 3,456,692 Patented July 22, 1969 tionary edge loop retaining device which replaces the edge wires.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an edge loop forming device which will form edge loops of varying lengths from the median of the fabric.

The invention will now be described more particularly in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic plan view of a needle loom showing how the edge loop forming device retains the edge loop during its insertion into the warp shed;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic side view of the device, FIG- URE 1, taken along lines 2-2, showing the position of the loop former in relation to the horizontal plane of the fabric;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic plan view similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 just before beat-up by the reed;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic side view similar to FIG. 2, taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3, showing the position of the loop former in relation to the horizontal plane of the fabric just before beat-up by the reed;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic plan view similar to that shown in FIGURE 1, showing a modification of the device of FIGURE 1 wherein the position of the loop former varies with relation to the median of the fabric to produce a scalloped edge;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic front view of the loop forme positioning device taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic plan view of a modification of the loop former;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic side view of the former shown in FIGURE 8, taken along lines 9-9 of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a schematic plan view of another modification of the loop former;

FIGURE 11 is a schematic side view of the former of FIGURE 9, taken along lines 1111 of FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 10.

The present invention can be formed as an attachment to an existing loom since it does not change most of the elements of the loom. Only a portion of such looms are illustrated in the drawing, namely the portion including the reed and the lay, which as is conventional, beats up the pick. Looms of this type are shown in more detail in US. Patent No. 3,320,980, issued May 23, 1967 to R. W.'

Gustavson.

Also the means for forming the'knit selvage has not been illustrated in detail, since it forms no part of the instant invention and reference is had to US. Patent No. 3,102,557, issued Sept. 3, 1963 to R. W. Gustavson' et al. to show one such selvage forming device, in detail. Obviously, any device for forming a knitted selvage could be used in conjunction with the instant invention.

The needle loom as shown more particularly in FIG- URES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 comprises a weft laying needle 10 which is adapted to insert loops of weft 12 into a warp shed formed by warp yarns 14 to weave a fabric 15 which has a fell 15'. As seen in'FIGURE 1, the weft laying needle has inserted a loop of weft yarn 12 into the shed and knitting needle 18 is preparing to engage yarn 12 for the formation of the knitted selvage. Fabric 15 is held down by the usual hold down bar or roller 16 so as to maintain the fabric on a substantially horizontal level. On the edge of the fabric opposite the knitted selvage side, edge loops 22 of weft yarn 12 are formed about a loop former 20. Former 20 extends over the leg of the immediately preceding weft loop and under the leg of the weft loop being inserted, the two legs being connected to form edge loop 22.

is held in a stationary position when the device is used in lieu of theedgewire to form smooth edges on the weft inserting side of the fabric. Support 26 is mounted below the path of the weftinserting needle to provide clearanceithereof during the Weft needles motion in inserting the weft loop into the warp shed. As can be seen more clearly in FIGURE 2, end 24 of former 20 rises so as to terminatein a horizontal plane above the horizontal plane of fabric with end 24 also terminating just short of fell 1S. Former 'is made of a resilient material such as spring steel which will 'hold the edge loops 22 while the weft laying needle is inserting weft loops into the warp shed, in much the same manner as the conventional edge wire. After the loop of weft has been fully inserted, as seen in FIGURE 3, needle 10 exits from the warp shed and brings its trailing yarn back across the top of former 20; whereupon, reed 28, which is mounted on a lay 30, advances towards the fell 15' of the fabric 15 and beats the loop of Weft 12 into the fell of the cloth. The beating motion of the reel brings it past end 24 of former 20 and strips edge loop 22 and the trailing leg of yarn 12 off former 20. Reed 28 also maintains the spacing of former 20 from the fabric edge. The beat-up action of the reed applies tension to the edge loop and draws the former down into substantially the same horizontal plane as that of fabric '15. Once the edge loop and the yarn 12 has been stripped from the former by reed 28, former 20 springs back into the position shown in FIGURE 2. The trailing leg of weft yarn 12 will then be drawn beneath former 20 as needle '10 moves towards the rear of the loom preparotory to inserting a subsequent loop of weft yarn into a new warp shed. It has been found that former 20 should be resilient so that it will be able to normally terminate in a horizontal plane which is above the horizontal plane of fabric 15 so as to permit yarn 12 to be trapped under. the former before a new loop of weft is inserted into the warp shed and still permit the downward deflection which is inherent in stripping the edge loops off of the former by reed 28 and still maintain its spacing from the median of the fabric in the horizontal plane. While deflection is permissible in the vertical plane, it is undesirable in the horizontal plane due to the need to maintain uniform loop length.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, where a second embodiment of the invention is disclosed, the loop former 20 is mounted on a support member 26 which is not stationarily fixed to the loom frame. Support member 26 is mountedfor sliding movement within a bracket 32 which has Walls 34, and 34'. Support member 26 is normally urged into its innermost position by a spring 39. On the end of the support member oppositethe loop forming member a cam follower lever 36 is pivotally pinned to supportmember 26 by a pin 37. Lever 36 is pivoted to the loom frame at its other end by pin 42. Thus, as seen in FIGURESG and 7, pivoted lever 36 and its follower 36' areurged towards bracket 32 by spring 3-9 against a cam 38 or a stop pin which holds the follower off the lowest portion of the cam. When it is desired to vary the length ofthe edge loops. former, cam 38 is attached to a rotating shaft 40in such a position as to cause lever 36 l ticular configuration has been the formation ofa picot edge, i.e. an edge where spaced single edge loops are formed a predetermined length from the median of the fabric, while intervening loops between said picot loops are bound in tightly-against .th-e edgeof the fabric with the loop former 20 serving as an edge wire between the picot loops and as a picot loop former when it is desired to form such loops.

To form a fabric having this type edge the cam would be shaped to move loop former 20 to its maximum distance from the median of fabric 15 for the insertion of a single weft loop and to permit it to lie stationary adjacent the edge of the fabric as in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 until it .was deemed desirable to form another picot loop. Other edge configurations will be obvious to those skilledin the art and need notbe described in more detail herein.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show a second embodiment for the loop former. In this embodiment former 20' is made of sheet spring steel and terminates in a short loop forming tip 42 which serves the same-purposes as the former shown in FIGURES 1 through 7. At the base of tip 42 there is provided. a shoulder 44 which limits the distance the loop can be drawn down the body of the former, since it is very important that the loops be uniformly formed about tip 42. As can be seen more clearly in FIGURE 8, former 20' is formed from a spring steel which is curved in the Vertical plane so as to bring tip 42 just above the horizontal plane of the fabric and in the horizontal plane so as to bring tip 42 adjacent the edgeof the fabric so as to form edge loops 22 of the weft yarn.

It is very important that tip 42 should be short and that shoulder 44 retain the loop on the tip. If the loop is drawn to pivot about pin 42 and to thereby vary the distance of loop former 20 fromthe median of fabric 15. The pitch of can; 38can be suchtas to cause former 20 to form a series of edge loops 22 a variable distance from the median .of fabric 15 so as to provide a scalloped fringe or edge to the fabric. Thus, by forming the cam 38 with a gradual inclining surface, edge loops 22 may gradually increase in length until they reach a maximum desired length "and then slowly decrease to a minimum desired length so as to provide scalloped edges, such as shown in.-FIGURE 6. I

However, it is to be understood that the shape of cam 38 can be varied so as to produce any desired configuration to the fringe formed by edge loop 22. One other parfarther down the shank of the former an undesirable variation in loop length may result and undue fibrillation may result from abrasion between the weft and the edge warps or even the former itself during beat-up.

The embodiment of FIGURES 7 and 8 offer additional advantage in that it is very rigid in its horizontal plane and yet is flexible in its vertical plane in the manner described in regard to the former of FIGURES 1-6. In this embodiment the former can be set closer to the end of the reed, without the concomitant danger of its coming into actual contact with the reed, than is possible with the embodiment of FIGURES 1-6.

FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a third embodiment of the loop former which is very similar to that shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. In this embodiment shoulder 44 is replaced by a sloped portion 46 which assures that edge loops 22 will be formed only about tip 42. The slope of wing 46 is important in making sure that the loop is formed about tip 42 and that the yarn does not slip below the former to override shoulder 44, as can be seen best in FIGURE 11. g

Having thus described the invention it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and variations in the sizes and proportions can be made without departing from the intended scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, in which I claim:

1. In-a needle loom having means for forming a warp shed, a weft inserting needle for inserting successive loops of a continuous weft yarn into the warp shed from one side thereof, means for interknitting successive weft loops on the other side of said warp shed to form a knitted selvage, a reciprocating lay, and a reed disposed on said lay, means for forming an'edge on said one side of said Warp shed comprising:

(a) a supporting member spaced from said one side;

(-b) a resilient member disposed on said supporting member and having an edge loop forming portion disposed adjacent said one side, normally in a plane which intersects the horizontal plane of cloth being Woven on said loom, said portion terminating at a point behind the fell 0f the cloth, whereby inter connecting legs of successive weft loops form edge loops which are retained by said edge loo forming portion during weft insertion and are stripped therefrom by said reed during weft beat-up.

2. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a curved steel wire.

3. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a curved sheet steel spring which terminates in a loop forming tip and is substantially rigid in its horizontal plane and resilient in its vertical plane.

4. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 3 wherein said resilient member further comprises an edge loop retaining shoulder.

5. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 3 wherein said resilient member further comprises an edge loop retaining wing.

6. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 5 wherein said wing is attached to said member adjacent to the loop forming tip and slopes to terminate in a horizontal plane below the horizontal plane of said tip.

7. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting member is fixed in a stationary position.

8. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting member is mounted for lateral movement towards and away from said one side and includes means for imparting said lateral movement in timed relation with said weft inserting needle, whereby edge loops of varying lengths can be formed on said one side.

9. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for imparting said lateral movement comprises a cam adapted to move said supporting member towards and away from said one side during the insertion of a plurality of successive weft loops, whereby said edge loops become progressively shorter and'then progressively longer thereby forming a scalloped edge.

10. In a needle loom as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for imparting siad lateral movement com prises a cam adapted to move said supporting member to its outermost position after beat-up and to retain it there at least during the insertion of the next weft loop whereby a picot edge is formed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,369,572 2/1968 Libby 1391l6 3,126,920 3/1964 Libby 139-118 3,288,172 11/1966 Johnson 139118 3,378,039 4/1968 Vaslet 139118 HENRY S. IAUDON, Primary Examiner @3 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,456,692 Dated July 22, 1.969

Inventor(s) Clarence R. Kronoff It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 9, line I: delete "9" and substitute therefor 3min mo SEMED APR 2 8 1970 Anew M. Fletcher, .71. E m. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

